J Korean Med Sci.  2012 Oct;27(10):1196-1201. 10.3346/jkms.2012.27.10.1196.

Association between Total Bilirubin and Hemoglobin A1c in Korean Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Preventive Medicine, Chosun University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
  • 2Department of Preventive Medicine & Institute of Wonkwang Medical Science, Wonkwang University College of Medicine, Iksan, Korea.
  • 3Jeonnam Regional Cancer Center, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Korea.
  • 4Department of Preventive Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea. mhshinx@paran.com

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that bilirubin is negatively associated with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in the general population. The association between bilirubin and HbA1c in serum of diabetes patients has not yet been studied. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between total bilirubin and HbA1c in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes. A total of 690 of the 1,275 type 2 diabetes patients registered with the public health centers in Seo-gu, Gwangju and Gokseong-gun, Jeollanam-do participated in this study. Following an overnight fast, venous blood and urine samples were collected and analyzed. The mean HbA1c values differed significantly according to total bilirubin (< or = 0.4 mg/dL, 7.6%; 0.5 mg/dL, 7.3%; 0.6-0.7 mg/dL, 7.2%; and > or = 0.8 mg/dL, 7.1%; P for trend = 0.016) after we adjusted for other confounding factors. When the odds ratio (OR) was adjusted for other confounding factors, there was a significant association between total bilirubin and HbA1c (OR, 0.4 [95% confidence interval, 0.2-0.8] for total bilirubin > or = 0.8 mg/dL versus < or = 0.4 mg/dL. In conclusion, total bilirubin concentrations in serum are negatively associated with HbA1c levels after adjustment for sex, age, and other confounding factors in type 2 diabetes patients.

Keyword

Bilirubin; Diabetes Mellitus Type II; Glycosylated; Hemoglobin A

MeSH Terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Bilirubin/*analysis/blood/urine
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/*blood/diagnosis
Female
Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated/*analysis/urine
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Odds Ratio
Republic of Korea
Risk Factors
Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated
Bilirubin

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